Development of Chitin Fibers

As early as the end of the 1960s, researchers at Fuji Spinning Research conducted research on chitin. These natural materials have a wide range of sources and are safe and non-toxic. They are particularly suitable for the production of bandage products, can accelerate the healing of wounds, and have been proved by animal experiments that this new type of material has the same or better quality than ordinary antibiotics for infections caused by bacteria. Efficacy.

In the early 1990s, Japan first used the characteristics of chitin fiber to make antibacterial and deodorant underwear and pantyhose blended with cotton, which was deeply favored by consumers. Later, the Japanese Textile Processing Corporation and Asahi Kasei Textiles Co., Ltd. developed a material that can absorb sweat as well as waterproof and moisture-permeable. This material uses a polyurethane cloth with numerous fine pores as an intermediate layer and passes through the skin-contacting side. Coated with chitin, coated with a layer of nylon fabric base fabric. Since chitin has a strong hygroscopicity, sweat is absorbed by it and diffuses and evaporates through the middle multi-empty layer to the outer layer. The sportswear made of this material not only has good antibacterial properties but also is comfortable to wear, not stuffy and sticky. Fuji Textile Co., Ltd. of Japan developed a high-wet-modulus viscose fiber (trade name “キトソィ”) suitable for baby wear fabrics. This fiber contains chitin which has a moisturizing antibacterial ingredient in the manufacturing process, which can inhibit the proliferation of microorganisms and have a preventive effect on skin allergies. Clothing or bedding made of this material is not irritating to the human body and has a good affinity for the skin. Clinical experience has also confirmed that it is effective in preventing allergic dermatitis.

Compared with foreign countries, the development of chitin textiles in China started late. China started the chitin test in 1952, first in Shanghai and later in Qingdao and other coastal cities. In 1954, the first experimental report was published. The 1990s was the heyday of the research and development of chitin and chitosan in China. By the mid-1990s, hundreds of universities and research institutes throughout the country had invested in the research and development of chitin. In 1991, Donghua University (formerly China Textile University) successfully developed chitin medical sutures, and then successfully developed chitosan medical dressings (artificial skin) and applied for a patent. From 1999 to 2000, Donghua University developed chitin series of blended yarns and fabrics and made various health underwear, pantyhose and baby products. In 2000 in Weifang, Shandong Province, the world’s first wholly-owned Korean company that produced pure chitin fiber was put into production. It produced 3 tons per month (see figure: 100 pure chitin fibers in Yingjia Shell). In addition to Shanghai, relevant manufacturers in Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other provinces and cities have also developed chitin health underwear or bedding, and have been introduced to the market. 3 Main characteristics of chitin fiber Chitin and its derivatives chitosan, with a certain degree of ductility and silkiness, are very good fiber-forming materials, select the appropriate spinning conditions, through the conventional wet spinning process Chitin fiber with higher strength and elongation can be made. Due to the large amount of amino groups contained in the chitosan macromolecular structure, its dissolution performance and biological activity are high. Chitin fiber has the following characteristics.

(1) Excellent biomedical functions The macromolecular structure of chitin is the same as that of glucosamine in human body, and it has similar structure to human ossein. This double structure gives them excellent biomedical properties: It is non-toxic and non-irritating to the human body and can be decomposed and absorbed by lysozyme in the human body. It has good biocompatibility with human tissues. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, analgesic, and wound healing functions. Therefore, chitin and chitosan are ideal medical polymer materials and are widely used for manufacturing special medical products. In foreign countries, especially Japan and the United States have used it to manufacture artificial skin, absorbable sutures, hemodialysis membranes and drug release agents, and various medical dressings.

(2) Biodegradable As the raw materials for producing chitin fibers generally use wastes of shrimp and crab aquatic products, on the one hand this can reduce the environmental pollution of such waste, and on the other hand, the waste of chitin fibers can be Biodegradation will not pollute the surrounding environment, so chitin fiber is also called green fiber.

(3) Excellent hygroscopic and heat-insulating function Because chitin fiber has a large number of hydrophilic groups such as hydroxyl (-OH) and amino (-NH2) on its macromolecular chain, the fiber has very good hydrophilicity and is very High hygroscopicity. The equilibrium moisture regain of chitin fiber is generally between 12% and 16%. Under different forming conditions, the water retention value is about 130%.

(4) Better spinnability Chitin and chitosan fibers produced in China have good spinnability. However, compared with cotton fiber, chitin fiber has a higher density and lower strength, which affects the strength of chitin fiber to a certain extent. It is difficult to spin pure chitin fibers under normal conditions. Chitin fibers are usually blended with cotton fibers or other fibers to improve their spinnability. With the continuous improvement of the chitin raw material and spinning process, the density and strength of the fiber thread will be further improved. With it, various chitin pure spinning or blended products can be developed. In addition, chitin fiber has good dyeing properties due to its good hygroscopicity, and can be dyed with various dyes such as direct, active, reducing, basic, and *, and has a bright color.

Chitin and chitosan fibers can be spun into filaments or short fibers. The filaments are used for tamping medical sutures, eliminating the pain of patient's suture removal, or cutting short fibers into certain lengths, spinning them into yarns, and using them as textile materials; short fibers making medical dressings in the form of non-woven fabrics for treating each Trauma, such as burns, scalds, frostbite and other injuries, promote wound healing and anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Chitin fiber light spinning yarn, woven fabric processed into a variety of functional products, such as health knitted underwear, odor socks, non-stick towels, health care baby clothes, anti-bacterial casual clothes, antibacterial deodorant bedding, antibacterial medical nurses clothing; Can also be processed into a variety of rescue supplies, such as bandages, gauze, first aid kits.

The health functions of chitin fiber and chitosan fiber mainly include the following aspects:

(1) Antibacterial and deodorizing function.

(2) The skin care function.

(3) Auxiliary treatment function for allergic skin.

(4) Protection of the environment.

(5) Antistatic function.

Chitin fiber knitwear is soft, friendly, non-irritating, highly moisturizing, heat-preserving, antibacterial and deodorizing. It has a good maintenance effect on the skin. It also has auxiliary medical functions for allergic dermatitis and meets the requirements of green textiles. The advantage is a new generation of health knitwear in the 21st century.